The Czech government has approved a major overhaul of the country’s criminal law system, introducing measures aimed at prioritizing fines over prison terms and partially decriminalizing minor offenses.
The reforms, announced by Minister of Justice Pavel Blažek during a press conference after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, also include relaxed rules on cannabis cultivation and possession.
Blažek claimed that the current punitive approach to criminal justice is outdated and does not align with practices in other EU nations. “Our punishment is old-fashioned, outdated, and we are moving away from the rest of the EU, which is obviously not good,” he stated.
The Czech justice ministry aims for the reform to ease the pressure on overcrowded prisons, streamline criminal proceedings, and reduce repeat offenses and government expenses. Prime Minister Petr Fiala endorsed the changes as “absolutely necessary,” expressing confidence in the government’s ability to implement the reform by the end of its term.
Under the reform, fines can now be issued for any criminal offense. However, fines alone will not apply to serious crimes such as rape. The law will also reduce penalties for certain repeated thefts and limit criminalization of unpaid child support to cases where it directly endangers the dependent.
Czech news outlet Echo24 reported that penalties are expected to be increased for offenses such as deepfake pornography.
One of the most notable changes is the shift in cannabis regulation. The new law will permit the cultivation of up to three cannabis plants for personal use and possession of up to 50 grams of the drug. Cultivating four to five plants would be classified as a misdemeanor, while more would constitute a felony. The government believes the new law will bring cannabis regulations closer to those seen across Europe, including in Germany.
The move is likely to be opposed by the main opposition party, Andrej Babiš’s ANO, which has previously expressed concerns about the societal impacts of cannabis use and voiced opposition to proposals expanding access to cannabis-related products.
The opposition Pirates Party, however, criticized the measure for being too draconian, arguing that the allowable quantities are insufficient. They plan to propose a higher legal possession limit of 900 grams, arguing that three plants could yield up to 300 grams of cannabis.
Latest government figures suggest the move will affect around 600,000 Czech citizens over the age of 15 using cannabis purely for self-medication each year, in addition to those using the drug recreationally.
